Monte Cs

[bunburyist]

friend of mine says he's just received a box of Montecristo 'C's from another mate who's just come back from Cuba. Bought at the airport apparently.

Not seen then yet but first thoughts are they must be fake as Monte Cs only came out as EL in 2003, no?

So unless matey has been very generous and shelled out for a 6 year old box of EL Montes, I'm guessing they're not real - did the C only come out as EL or has it been regular production as well?

thanks in advance

[Habanos2000]

friend of mine says he's just received a box of Montecristo 'C's from another mate who's just come back from Cuba. Bought at the airport apparently.

Not seen then yet but first thoughts are they must be fake as Monte Cs only came out as EL in 2003, no?

So unless matey has been very generous and shelled out for a 6 year old box of EL Montes, I'm guessing they're not real - did the C only come out as EL or has it been regular production as well?

thanks in advance

2003 EL release only, as far as I know. Might be an interesting smoke!

[thechenman]

If authentic...that would make a really nice gift. I've seen them selling for around $500 a box.

[Ken Gargett]

friend of mine says he's just received a box of Montecristo 'C's from another mate who's just come back from Cuba. Bought at the airport apparently.

Not seen then yet but first thoughts are they must be fake as Monte Cs only came out as EL in 2003, no?

So unless matey has been very generous and shelled out for a 6 year old box of EL Montes, I'm guessing they're not real - did the C only come out as EL or has it been regular production as well?

thanks in advance

could well be real. who would buy them (aside from someone - no names, rob - convincing some poor innocent to grab a box)?

would also think that the store at the havana airport unlikely to be selling fakes, though you never know.

these are so diabolically bad, by far the worst of the LE's, that you would wonder why anyone would bother to fake them. why not fake something decent? this is like faking a child's fingerpainting when you could fake picasso's.

you may have guessed that i am not a fan.

on the upside, if they are fakes, every chance that they are a far better smoke than the real ones.

[bunburyist]

thanks guys. From purely a character point of view, I'd bet the slippery git has bought fakes and claimed to have bought them at the airport.

If they are real, I shall do the only thing a good friend can do, and tell them as Ken says they're the worst ELs ever, and then proceed to smoke half of them.

muchos gracias amigos

[Ken Gargett]

thanks guys. From purely a character point of view, I'd bet the slippery git has bought fakes and claimed to have bought them at the airport.

If they are real, I shall do the only thing a good friend can do, and tell them as Ken says they're the worst ELs ever, and then proceed to smoke half of them.

muchos gracias amigos

still reckon if you plan on smoking any, far better off praying that they are fakes.

but love to hear what you think.

[PigFish]

Jesus I still have some of these! These are very inconsistent cigars and largely lead me to my battle against EL's. I still pick one up now and again but I know that I have not had one in '09.

[Ken Gargett]

Jesus I still have some of these! These are very inconsistent cigars and largely lead me to my battle against EL's. I still pick one up now and again but I know that I have not had one in '09.

ray, i'm much more of a fan of the LE's than yourself but there have been some absolute dogs, none more than this. i would suggest that condemning LE's based on these would be like condemning all americans based on charles manson.

[Don Candido]

these are so diabolically bad, by far the worst of the LE's, that you would wonder why anyone would bother to fake them. why not fake something decent? this is like faking a child's fingerpainting when you could fake picasso's. you may have guessed that i am not a fan.

on the upside, if they are fakes, every chance that they are a far better smoke than the real ones.

I disagree. There is a place for the Monte C in my humidor and in my smoking routine. It is an interesting smoke. Ken, I hate to see you get so many points on flavor, so wrong.

[Ken Gargett]

I disagree. There is a place for the Monte C in my humidor and in my smoking routine. It is an interesting smoke. Ken, I hate to see you get so many points on flavor, so wrong.

DC, i wish i agreed with you on this one. have a box squirrelled away somewhere, or the vast majority of it anyway. i've tried these from cuba numerous times, from rob and vendors in spain as well as my own and while i know there are people out there who enjoy them, every single one has been an utter disappointment. aside from cuabas, hard to think of cigar that has underwhelmed more often.

[Don Candido]

DC, i wish i agreed with you on this one. have a box squirrelled away somewhere, or the vast majority of it anyway. i've tried these from cuba numerous times, from rob and vendors in spain as well as my own and while i know there are people out there who enjoy them, every single one has been an utter disappointment. aside from cuabas, hard to think of cigar that has underwhelmed more often.

We can agree to disagree. I am not saying the C is a spectacular smoke. I just do not hold any disdain for it. I do basically agree on Cuaba. I have part of a jar left of the Millennium Distinguidos. They are the exception. One of the best smokes I have ever had. Have you tried one?

[Ken Gargett]

We can agree to disagree. I am not saying the C is a spectacular smoke. I just do not hold any disdain for it. I do basically agree on Cuaba. I have part of a jar left of the Millennium Distinguidos. They are the exception. One of the best smokes I have ever had. Have you tried one?

i have not, and would also say that the cuaba LE was a pretty good smoke, but the ordinary ones i find abysmal.

the monte C's are an odd one as i speak to people who thoroughly enjoy them, and others who are as scathing as i am. almost as though there are two very different smokes under the one label.

have a great new year.